Terra Cotta Music

These gracious long-necked birds have served through the ages as symbols of artistic creativity and spiritual enlightenment, though on the down side, women in the middle ages were often turned into swans by evil sorcerers. That’s the message of Swan Lake–if you’re a princess, watch out!

Swans are mostly vegetarians, and they are one of only a few birds that have teeth. Some are migratory. They often pair up before they are old enough to mate, and they stay together for life, with a few exceptions. They can weigh over thirty pounds. Today they are viewed as symbols of grace. Klutz that I am, if I were turned into a swan, I would consider it a blessing.

Sorry for the late post, folks, but I have so much on my plate that I wasn’t sure I would be at Urban Beans this Saturday morning. As it turns out, I need the practice! So I’ll be there, amplifier and all, ready to play original songs and some classics. See you there!

The one pictured above is called the Least Grebe. It is found mostly in South America, but breeding pairs have been seen in Arizona. They are small birds with legs that are set back on their body, making them much more efficient in water than on land. They are engineering marvels, able to control their buoyancy be adjusting the position of their feathers. In water, their feet act like miniature hydrofoils, propelling them efficiently as they dive for small fish and crustaceans. They are a unique as a species, and scientists are having a hard time figuring out what other types of birds they may be related to. If you ever see one, let me know.

Due to technical difficulties (which means I’m still not good at figuring out this blogging stuff), I haven’t posted events to my calendar. But you can still come and taste the coffee, enjoy a pleasant conversation or a quick read, and relax to the dulcet tones of me and my guitar this Saturday morning at Urban Beans. It’s rejavanating.

Herons are the Ichabod Cranes of the bird world. Maybe that’s where Washington Irving got the idea for his Sleepy Hollow teacher. Tall and lanky, they are about three feet long and have a wingspan of over six feet. They are found all over the western hemisphere, even on the Galapagos Islands. Some migrate, and some stay where they are, even wintering in the snowy northern climes.

I like the way they fish, waiting and wading through the shallow waters, searching for their sushi, which they stab with their sharp pointed beaks. They are a lesson in patience. They have few enemies. Whenever I see one, they look like they are about to fall asleep or deliver the Gettysburg Address. Maybe it’s the dim light–they look for food usually at dawn and dusk. Unlike Ichabod, I doubt that they would be afraid of a headless ghost!

Attention all you groovy guys and gals. I’ll be playing some cool tunes at Urban Beans this Saturday morning. Come on in, the coffee’s fine!

Photo Courtesy of Chris Tingom at www.arizonacoffee.com

Canada Geese are not necessarily Canadian. In fact, they quite often eat my grass, poop in my yard, and hiss at me when I come home from work–hardly the way Canadians act. Still, I like them. They raise their young in the man made ponds in my neighborhood. Lately I have been seeing them gathering in the ponds, apparently getting ready to fly north, though some don’t migrate anymore. They also raise their young around here. I often see the mostly gray lanky teenagers walking around with their families.

There are many subspecies of Canada Goose. One type was on the brink of extinction in the 1950s, but they have made a comeback, to the point where they are considered a nuisance.

When they do make their migratory flights, did you ever notice the V formation they make in flight? Did you ever wonder why one side of the V always seems to be shorter than the other? I know why. It’s because there’s fewer geese on the shorter side, silly!

To Bean, of course! That, is the easy answer. To Urban Beans, to be exact. Saturday morning. See me there.